Buckle or clasp



April 12, 1932. 8 LL ALTERSON 1,853,889

BUCKLE OR CLASP Filed Dec. 9, 1931 IIHIII L l|||| m! I M Patented Apr. 12, 1932 LOUIS .ALTEIRSFON," on 'NEW YORK, n, Iv.

wa te on oLAsP' Y i Applicationi filedmeceinber 9,1931. Seria1 No. 79,876i

This invention relates to abuckle or clasp adapted for use on shoes, belts or in any other environment where itis desired to detachably unite the two endsof a strap. The object of the invention is to provide abuckle or clasp of the character described, which will be of simple and sturdyconstruction; which will securely, yet detachably, unite the two ends of a strap whether the same be a 1 belt,,a shoe strap, or the like,' and which will avoid repetitious adjustment of the. strap through the buckle. A further obj set of the invention is to provide a buckle so construct ed that the'same may be attached to the strap without the use of,stitching,rivets or other fastening means, thus enabling the buckle to be removed when desired and another easily substituted.

the strap or belt longitudinally through the buckle frame each time that the belt or strap is opened and closed. This imposes frictional wear on the belt or strap, which after a short period of use becomes worn and shabby in appearance. With my improved buckleor clasp, repeated longitudinal shifting of the strap through the buckle frame is unnecessary since the strap when once adjusted need not be again shifted. Wear and tear on the strap is thus avoided and a constant and uniform fit of the belt or strap is maintained.

In the accompanying drawings, in which the preferred embodiment of myinvention is illustrated, Fig. 1 is a plan view of the main of the other buckle member Fig. 3 is a per spective View of the member shown in Fig; 2;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the member shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional View through the two buckle members and'the straps, showlng the buckle members in their connected position; Fig. 6 is a plan view of a In the embodiment of my invention dis closed, the buckle or clasp is composed of two main elements or members 8 and 15. The

outer member or main frame element 8 is With most buckles it is necessary to move buckle member or frame; Fig. 2 is a plan view I best shown in Figs. land It consists of 7 an elongatedsheet metal frame, which may be madein many ornamental shapes and de- 7 signs, and it is pro'videdwithspaced parallel longitudinal side bars 9 integrally connected by curved ends 10. jCros's-bars 11 connectthe two sidebars providing spaces 25 between said cross-bars and th'e"curved ends 10 through which a strap m be'passed aswill appear hereinafter! Located. centrally of 0 theframe and extending transversely of'the same is an integrally formed member. 12, from i which flanges 1'3 *eXtend rearwardly and thence toward one another and co-operate to form a box likefenclosure'14 at the rear of the frame 8'. 'Thisenclosure' 14 forms an eye or loop which is adapted to receive 'a' tongue 19 on the other bucklemember 15 andthus hold th'e two buckle members 8 and 15 detachably connected The fiangesls forming the enclosure 14 are preferably forined from metal originally located in the'fspaces 23', which, to produce theen'closure, is cut and bent rearwardly as clearly shown in Figs: 4, 5 an'd*7.. p j

The second lorlfr'ear bucklei element or frame, 15,-is provided-with side bars 16 and 17 connected by the spaced'cross bars 20, 21 and '22. The side bar 17 'is'continued beyond the cross-bar 21where it is ,bentlori off-set at 18yand connected to thetOngue *19. The tongue 19 and portion18 act to form an 01f set hook, which 5 as previouslyj explained slides into the box-like enclosure at th e back o-fthe member 8, the'two partsi8 andlgloof 35 the" buckle being ,thus engaged by a sidewise movement of eitheriof themand beingretained in this engagement by the v normal 1on gitudinal pull imposed on thelbuckle. j 1 In Fig. 5 the manner in which thebuckle 96 1 elements are applied to the twolsm ends is disclosed; The strap24 is applied pass-f ing it from below throughonelof the openings23, then passing "it ,over themember 112 ,and'then projecting it do'wnwardly'through h Second pen fl M 2 1 ex en it beneath the crossbar 11. Another" way {of applying the strap is to extend it up through theopening 23, then doubling itbackpn t p, 7,

of the cross-bar 11""and' then projecting it downwardly through the opening 25, as clearly shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5. Either Way of attaching the buckle member 8 to the strap will act to securely, yet adjustably, attach it.

The strap 25 attached to the second or rear buckle member 15 is passed upwardly through the opening 26 and extended -over the crossbar 22 and then projected downwardly through the opening 27 under the cross-bar 21. This strap may also-be attached by first passing it up through the opening 27, then bringing it back over the top of the cross-bar 22 and then projecting it downwardly through the opening 26 and beneath the bar 20. l I

It will be seen from the foregoing that both. of the straps are held on the buckle elements by friction only, no supplemental fas tening means being used. The two strapends carrying their respective buckle ele ments, are easily, detachably connected by the insertion of the tongue 19 in the enclosure 14. The buckle elements are held indefinitely in this connected position by the normal longitudinal pull. on the straps 2s and 25 They are readily disconnected by a simple sidewise movement of one or the other of the buckle elements. I

In Fig. 6 a. modification of the member 15' is, disclosed. Here that portion of the frame shown to the left of the tonguelQin Figs. 2 and 3 is duplicated to the right of the: tongue. ThlSzSllILlCtll-I-Q operates similarly to thestruc ture disclosed in Figs: 1 andB. Various other structural changes may be made without departing from the spirit of this invention.

What I claim is.:-

a 1., A buckle. having a pair of. frames, one of said frames having a pair of rearwardly bent flanges, co onerating to form an enclosure at the back of said frame, the other frame having, an offset tongue projecting from one. of its. ends and extending transversely of the frame on which it is formed and adapted to be extended into the encl'o: sure by a. si'dewise movement of either of the frames, and means on each ofthe frames for frictionally retaining a strap-end.

2.. A buckle having a frame. provided with slde bars, a. transverse member connecting the same, said member having its longitudinal sidesbent. rearwardly and thence toward one another to form a box-like: enclosure at the rear of the frame, a second frame; having strap-retaining means and an ofi-setbend connected to a tongue, which extends transversely of. the frame, said tongue being adapted to fit. into the box-like. enclosure at the rear of the first frameto detachably unite the two frame members.

3. A buckle. having a frame provided with s de bars, a. transverse member connecting the sld'e bars, said member having its edges bent rearwardly and cooperating to form a chamber at the rear of the frame and in back of the transverse member, a second frame adapted to interlock with the first frame, the second frame having side bars and strap-receiving means, a tongue provided on the second frame for entry into the chamber at the back of the first frame, the tongue extending transversely of the frame on which it is formed and connected thereto by an extension of one of the side bars formed on said frame.

4:. A buckle having a frame member provided with a box-like enclosure located at its rear and having its entrance openings located 'at'" the sides of the frame, a second frame adapted for interlocking engagement with. the first frame by transverse movement of one frame with respect to the other, said second frame having an off-set tongue ex tending transversely of it, and adapted'for entry into the enclosure, and means on each of the frames for receiving a strap;

Signed at thecity of New York, county of New York and State of New York, this 8th day of December, 1931. I y

LOUIS ALTERSON. 

